Telescoping discharge spout



Feb. 9, 1965 H. GAY

TELESCOPING DISCHARGE SPOUT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 10, 1962 INVENTOR. L. H. GAY

WW 4 W ATTORNEY Feb. 9, 1965 L. H. GAY

TELESCOPING DISCHARGE SPOUT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 10, 1962 INVENTOR. L. H. GAY

ATTORNEY Feb. 9, L. H. GAY

TELESCOPING DISCHARGE SPOUT Filed Sept. 10, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 j/so INVENTOR. L. H. GAY

ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofliice 3,16%,946 'IELESCQPING DTSCHARGE SPUUT Lawrence H. Gay, Moline, llL, assigncr to Deere dz Company, Molina, 111., a corporation of Delaware Fiied Sept. 10, 1962, Ser. No. 222,293 3 Ciaims. (Cl. 193-6) This invention relates to a telescoping type discharge spout used on a material conveyor at its discharge end for directing materials to various locations. More particularly this invention relates to a particular construction of the telescoping spout which permits uniform or interchangeable sections throughout the length of the spout.

It is normally desirable to have the discharge spout on a conveyor or elevator to be telescoping so that material may be fed into an area directly beneath the discharge end of the elevator or, if desired, may be fed to areas remote from the discharge end. In the conventional type agricultural type elevator, there is provided at the upper end of the discharge elevator a hopper device which feeds the material downwardly into the upper end or" the telescopic type discharge spouts. In the past, conical shaped discharge spouts were used and could telescope into one another so that the entire device could be retracted. Also, there has often been used a series of U-shaped troughs which may telescope into a retracted position in which the sections are nestled and may extend into an extended length in which they are substantially positioned end to end. The difficulty with this latter type of telescopic spouting is the fact that often as many as five or six sections are required in order to provide the sections to be nestled as well as telescoped, they must be progressively larger in cross section from the upper trough which lies adjacent and normally beneath the discharge end of the conveyor. Consequently to provide this type of discharge spouting, manufacturers must provide as many as six or seven different size troughs. This of course creates some confusion by the people handling the spouting and also creates a problem in replacing damaged spouts.

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a telescopic type spout device composed of a series of U-shaped trough sections, each section of which is identical, at least in cross section to the other sections. Each section has an upper end which has no cross bracing and may yield and contract relative to the spacing between the sides of the trough. The opposite end of the trough is provided with a ring which rigidities that end and generally retains a fixed shape at that end. The latter end is, of course, the lower end of the trough as material moves through the trough device- Each of the trough sections has a pair of upwardly extending hooks which extends over the upper edges or tracks of the overlying trough section. Consequently as the trough sections tend to extend into their maximum extended position, the upper or relatively free ends may expand transversely as the upper ends approach the positions of the rings on the lower ends of the adjacent overlying troughs. Upon the troughs reaching their extended position, each of the upper or nonrigid ends will attain rigidity through the effect of the ring or the rigid end of the overlying trough. Consequently the trough in its extended position is rigid at opposite ends.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the nature of the invention is better understood from the following description and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of an upper end of an elevator and the discharge spout or trough structure. The trough structure is shown in its retracted condition.

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the upper portion of an elevator and its trough or spout structure with the trough structure extended.

3,l68,946 Patented Feb. 9, 1965 FIG. 3 is an end view of one trough section.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a trough section.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of a trough or spout structure in its retracted position and showing a large number of trough sections.

A material conveyor or elevator 10, of a conventional type, has an upper end 11 feeding material to a discharge hopper 12. The hopper 12 funnels inwardly and downwardly to a swivel collar 13 at its lower end. Mounted on the collar 13 is a detachable ring 14 having depending therefrom an elbow 15 which directs the material to one side from the hopper. As is clearly evident from viewing FIGS. 1 and 2, the ring 14 may be swiveled in any angular position relative to the ring 13 and consequently material may be directed in any direction from the hopper. The elbow 15 has a pair of alined pivots 16, 17 supporting thereon a trough structure indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 18.

Since material will normally be gravitationally fed through the spout or trough structure 18, it follows that in normal position the entire spouting device will be inclined from an upper material receiving end to a lower material discharging end and each of the individual trough sections, as indicated at 29, will have an upper material receiving end as well as a lower material discharge end. The uppermost section 20a is modified somewhat such as having a strengthening ring 21 at its upper end to reinforce the trough section Zita adjacent to its connection to the pivots 16, 1'7 and also has a deflecting shield 22 which prevents grain and other materials from spattering out of the upper section as it gravitates: onto the floor of the trough section Ztla. Other than these modifications, the upper section 20a is substantially identical to all other sections 20 of the trough structure 18.

in the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, there is provided only a two-section trough structure. Any number of trough sections may be added or subtracted to the basic trough structure. For example, in FIG. 6, there are four trough sections.

The trough structure 18 is normally composed of a plurality of elongated U-shaped troughs 20 disposed in vertically nestled relation with each other. The U-shaped sections open upwardly. In the completely retracted positions as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the trough sections are substantially vertically alined in their nestled relation, i.e., the upper end and lower ends of each trough section is almost directly above or below the adjacent trough section 29. In the extended condition of the trough structure 18 as shown in FIG. 2, only the adjoining ends of the trough sections are nestled relative to one another. To provide close nestling of the sections 2t), each section 29 is not a complete semi-cylinder, but has its opposed upper edges 23, 24 terminating at approximately from the vertical as indicated by the letter a in FIG. 3. The lower end of each trough section 20 is provided with a ring 25 having a lower portion underlying and fixed to the underside of the trough 20 and an overhead portion which extends above and bridges between the sides of the trough 2h. The ring 25 generally provides a reinforcing or rigidifying structure for the lower end of the trough 20. The upper end of the trough 29 is not so reinforced and generally retains a degree of resiliency so that the sides may spread when necessary. The sides of the trough 20 are provided with longitudinally extending tracks or flanges 27, 28 which are welded to the respective sides of the trough 2t} and project above the respective edges 23, 24. The tracks 27, 28 include laterally extending flange portions 2, 3t) projecting outwardly from the sides of the troughs and vertical portions 31, 32 hava) ing upper edges spacedly outwardly from the trough sides. The vertical portions 31, 32 and the upper edges thereof serve as longitudinally extending tracks along the upper edges 23, 24 of the trough sides.

A pair of upwardly projecting hangers or track-engaging elements 35, 36 are provided on opposite sides of the troughs 20 and adjacent the upper ends thereof. Specifically the hangers 35, 36 are composed of vertical portions 37, 38 that are welded to the vertical track portions 31, 32 and extend outwardly and upwardly therefrom. The hanger members 35, 36 also include inwardly projecting hook portions 39, 40 which will normally overlie and engage the upper edges of the tracks 31, 32 on the next adjacent or overlying trough section 20. Glider or spacer buttons 41, 42 are provided on the underside of the flange or lateral portions 29, 30 adjacent the lower or ring end of the trough 20. Similar glider or spacer buttons 43, 44 are provided on the upper surface of the lateral or flange portions 29, 30 adjacent the upper ends of the trough 29. The purpose of the spacers or gliders 41-44 is to retain suitable spacing between the lateral portions 29, 30 of the adjacent trough 20. Also, only point contact will occur between the respective lateral portions and consequently there will be less tendency for the sections to bind when it is desired to extend or retract the entire trough structure 18. Also provided on the underside of the rings 25 are spacers 45, 46, 47 normally contacting the upper or inner surface of the underlying trough 20 so as to retain a predetermined spacing between the troughs.

Fixed to the upper end of each trough 2t) and to the underside thereof are a series of brackets 50 which carry chains 51. Each chain carries a detachable book 52 which may be connected to the bracket 50 of the next adjacent trough 20. This is clearly in evidence in FIGS. 2 and 6 of the drawings. As may be clearly evident also in viewing FIGS. 1 and 2, the chains 51 serve as limiting means relative to the degree of extensibility of the telescoping troughs 20. In operation the trough structure 18 may extend or retract from a position as shown in FIG. 1 to a position as shown in FIG. 2. To extend the trough structure, such may be done by hand by merely pulling on the lower trough 20 until the chain 51 is extended. If there are more than two troughs 20, as for example in FIG. 6, the trough structure 18 may be extended to a position in which all chains 50 are in completely extended position. It should be noted that each of the troughs 20 when in their extended position are rigidified at opposite ends by, as previously explained, its own ring 25 at the lower end and at its upper end by the ring 25 of the overlying trough structure. Also, it should be recognized that the upper end of the trough 29 is free to expand laterally or transversely so as to pass around the ring 25. The spacers or gliders 41-47 provide suflicient play between the individual troughs 20 to permit such.

While only one form of the invention has been shown, it should be recognized that other forms and variations will occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore it should be understood that while the preferred form has been shown in concise and detailed manner for purposes of clearly illustrating the principles of the invention, it was not the intention to so limit or narrow the invention beyond the broad concepts set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A spout device for use on the discharge end of a material conveyor and normally directed downwardly from the discharge end, comprising: a plurality of identical elongated U-shaped troughs opening upwardly and having laterally outwardly projecting edge flanges at opposite sides, with said troughs being adaptable for distortion whereby the troughs may be vertically stacked in nestled relation to one another; means connecting the upper end of the upper trough to the conveyor in material receiving relation thereto; a ring fixed to the lower end of each trough including a lower portion conforming to and underlying the trough and an overhead portion positioned above the trough reinforcing the respective end of the trough and minimizing the distortion at that end; a pair of upwardly projecting hanger structures on opposite sides of the troughs at the upper ends thereof including inwardly projecting portions overlying and engaging the respective flanges of the adjacent overlying trough and slidably engaged therewith to permit extension and retraction of the troughs and whereby said upper end of each trough may be disposed when in an extended posi tion closely adjacent of the overlying trough and may distort sufiiciently to accommodate the ring of the adjacent overlying trough and be disposed when in a retracted position closely adjacent the upper end of the adjacent overlying trough; and means between adjacent troughs limiting longitudinal extension between adjacent troughs.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 in which the edge flanges are composed of a lateral portion extending outwardly from opposite sides of the trough and a vertical portion having an upper edge and the hanger structures includes hooks fixed to the trough sides adjacent its upper end and adapted to extend over the upper edges of the vertical portions on the adjacent overlying trough.

3. The invention defined in claim 1 further characterized by spacer elements projecting from the surfaces of the lateral edge flanges for engaging the flanges of the adjacent troughs to maintain relative snugness between the hanger structures and the flanges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 700,522 Maginnis May 20, 1902 745,868 Laybourn July 26, 1902 749,871 Maginnis Jan. 19, 1904 801,252 Koller Oct. 10, 1905 1,031,829 Adams July 9, 1912 1,214,379 Saunders Jan. 30, 1917 1,256,515 Brown Feb. 19, 1918 1,364,581 Ramsey Jan. 4, 1921 1,382,897 Esche June 28, 1921 1,417,780 Stephens May 30, 1922 2,815,840 Masanko Dec. 10, 1957 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 3,168 ,946 February 9 1965 Lawrence H. Gay

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4, line 27, after "adjacent" insert the ring Signed and sealed this 20th day of July 1965.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A SPOUT DEVICE FOR USE ON THE DISCHARGE END OF A MATERIAL CONVEYOR AND NORMALLY DIRECTED DOWNWARDLY FROM THE DISCHARGE END, COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF IDENTICAL ELONGATED U-SHAPED TROUGHS OPENING UPWARDLY AND HAVING LATERALLY OUTWARDLY PROJECTING EDGE FLANGES AT OPPOSITE SIDES, WITH SAID TROUGHS BEING ADAPTABLE FOR DISTORTION WHEREBY THE TROUGHS MAY BE VERTICALLY STACKED IN NESTLED RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER; MEANS CONNECTING THE UPPER END OF THE UPPER TROUGH TO THE CONVEYOR IN MATERIAL RECEIVING RELATION THERETO; A RING FIXED TO THE LOWER END OF EACH TROUGH INCLUDING A LOWER PORTION CONFORMING TO AND UNDERLYING THE TROUGH AND AN OVERHEAD PORTION POSITIONED ABOVE THE TROUGH REINFORCING THE RESPECTIVE END OF THE TROUGH AND MINIMIZING THE DISTORTION AT THAT END; A PAIR OF UPWARDLY PROJECTING HANGER STRUCTURES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE TROUGHS AT THE UPPER ENDS THEREOF INCLUDING INWARDLY PROJECTING PORTIONS OVERLYING AND ENGAGING THE RESPECTIVE FLANGES OF THE ADJACENT OVERLYING TROUGH AND SLIDABLY ENGAGED THEREWITH TO PERMIT EXTENSION AND RETRACTION OF THE TROUGHS AND WHEREBY SAID UPPER END OF EACH TROUGH MAY BE DISPOSED WHEN IN AN EXTENDED POSITION CLOSELY ADJACENT OF THE OVERLYING TROUGH AND MAY DISTORT SUFFICIENTLY TO ACCOMMODATE THE RING OF THE ADJACENT OVERLYING TROUGH AND BE DISPOSED WHEN IN A RETRACTED POSITION CLOSELY ADJACENT THE UPPER END OF THE ADJACENT OVERLYING TROUGH; AND MEANS BETWEEN ADJACENT TROUGHS LIMITING LONGITUDINAL EXTENSION BETWEEN ADJACENT TROUGHS. 